


New Normal

by CannibalKats



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M, Family, Fluff, Kids, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-20
Updated: 2015-11-20
Packaged: 2018-05-02 14:42:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,338
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5252105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CannibalKats/pseuds/CannibalKats
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Asala get stuck in the war room with an obnoxious Orliesian Marquis and finds that Bull has entertained her kids all day.</p>
            </blockquote>





	New Normal

Cullen noticed her attention start to wane an hour before the Marquis. They’d been in the war room since midday trying to organize a rousting of Red Templars while the Marquis stopped them at every turn. Here they would destroy a vineyard that makes the Emperor’s favorite wine, _well yes we have three more with that verity of grape but that’s not the point_. Every time they saw a viable plan the Marquis had a new and more ridiculous excuse. It was now long past the evening meal.

Asala glanced outside again; just on the other side of that wall someone else was probably tucking her children into bed. Cullen wondered if Asala could hear the arguing over their bedtime in the soft din of life from the garden.

The Marquis slammed his hand down on the table to get her attention. “Is there somewhere more important for you to be, Inquisitor?”

Cullen watched Josephine cringe in anticipation, while Leliana’s body tensed. He simply put a hand on Asala’s shoulder.

Asala continued to watch the sky. While the Marquis clenched and unclenched his fist Cullen watched her jaw set and nostrils flare.

“I had somewhere better to be 15minutes after we entered this room.” Her voice was level and Cullen stifled a smirk when the Orlaisian scoffed. She cut him off before he could speak. “You came here begging for help. You bullied your way into my war room because you don’t trust me or my people to plan something we’ve been doing for _months_.”

“Yet not one of you can come up with a sufficient plan of action.”

Josephine rolled her eyes.

Asala snorted. The Qunari shrugged Cullen off and reached for the marker that indicated the Marquis land. Cradled in her palm they watched it burst into flame and crumble into ash in quick succession.

“When the Red Templars are done with whatever brought them to your land they’ll burn and pillage every resource you own, and I will fucking let them.”

“Is this how the Inquisition treats refugees?”

Cullen was pretty sure he heard Josephine mutter _just hit him_ under her breath.

“You have your own soldiers, if it’s so easy as just sending my men into that ravine prove it to me. And when every one of your men has walked single file to his death you can send me your people and I will offer them refuge but you can get the fuck out.”

“My men are not trained to handle Red Templars.”

“No one is. My people aren’t specially trained to deal with this shit. My men are no better equip to survive anything Corypheus has thrown at us. Most of them have only been soldiers since Haven. If you can give me one good reason to send them to their deaths other than some rich cunt, who can’t stand to be a little bit less rich, provided the world doesn’t end before they can even get to your lands. _Please_ enlighten me.”

“It is your duty—”

“To close the rifts, to stop the darkspawn Magister trying to end the world, but there’s nothing written anywhere that says I can’t let those monstrosities ravage your vineyards, mines, food stores, whatever they like really before I end them.”

“I will tell Gaspard about this.”

“That’s lovely, please be sure to say hello to Briala for me. Now if you’ve changed your mind you can let Cullen know which superfluous piece of land you can bare to part with at some point before you leave at day break.”

Josephine was already at work spreading charm like a salve before the door to the war room closed behind Asala. She paused for a minute to let her hands stop shaking. Cullen slipped out the door on her third deep breath. He was laughing softly to himself.

“I never tire of your idea of diplomatic relations, Sall.”

“Did you see how I didn’t punch him though,” she smiled stepping up to walk beside him. “I didn’t even set him on fire a little.”

“You’ve grown as a person.” Cullen clapped a hand on her shoulder when she turned to go to the garden and continued on to his office. It was practically dark in the garden when she heard the rumble of a low voice and a familiar squeal. When she opened the door to the girls room she found herself smiling at the sight.

The entire small room had become a blanket fort. Inside, the floor was covered in blankets and pillows and sitting in the middle of the fort was Iron Bull illuminated by a glow stone with Ashkaari and Sataa draped across his outstretched legs. He nodded to her mid-story but neither girl noticed her enter.

Asala watched the Iron Bull start to tell the girls about the time the Charger baited a giant, he was almost to the part where it ate the noble that hired them.

“I don’t believe you,” Ashkaari says in her too-serious-for-eight voice.

“Would I lie to you?” Bull asks earnestly.

Ashkaari shrugs. “Probably.”

“I’m not shitting you, kid. You gotta stay close enough it wants to chase.”

“You couldn’t even catch me in tag.”

“Well this was a while ago.” Bull considers. “I was in better shape then.”

“Well I am pretty fast,” she concedes.

Bull finishes his story, and Asala notices Sataa is fast asleep, her entire body slumped over Bulls left knee. While Ashkaari argues with Bull about exactly why the noble would have had his charm thoroughly vetted Asala scoops Sataa into her arms and into her bed.

She begins disassembling the blanket fort, making Sataa’s bed around her while she mumbles incoherent excuses and insists she is in no way tired. When she turns Bull already has Ashkaari tucked into bed. He smiles and shrugs and slips out the door.

“Did you have fun today?” She asks kissing the older girl on the forehead.

“Tons.”

“What did you do?”

“Well Kieran told us what all the plants in the garden were, and his mom told us a story about a Qunari she knew during the blight, and then we ate lunch and Bull let us spar with the Chargers, then we went to the stables to see if we could feed the horses and stuff but Master Dennet was busy, supper was weird but the bread was good and then Bull played tag, and hide and seek and then we made the fort and told stories.”

“You had fun with Bull then?”

“He let me hold a real sword Mom.”

“So that’s a yes.”

Ashkaari nodded slowly and let out a yawn.

Asala tucked the blankets in tight around her and made her way out of the room. When the door was shut behind her she looked at the Iron Bull, standing on the steps in front of her, low enough that she could look him in the eye.

“You let her hold a sword?”

“It was just a small one.”

Asala laughed. “They trained with you?”

“The little one’s tough, she’s got quite an arm on her. Rocky’s got a black eye.”

“Really?”

“He’s probably in the tavern if you want to see for yourself. Sataa sucker punched him.”

“She what?”

“Hey don’t be mad at the kid, he shoulda kept his guard up, now he knows.”

She shook her head and sighed. “Thank you for spending time with them today.”

“No big deal, Kadan.”

“It is though. I spent all day in that room with that asshole, we got absolutely nowhere and I’m so used to being alone I didn’t even consider that you would be with them. I just worried about whose way they’d be getting in without me.”

“They’re good kids, Sall. I like spending time with them.”

Asala smiled and looked at her feet. Bull bumped her shoulder and she reached out entwining her fingers with his. _It might take some time,_ she thought as they walked to the tavern, _but I could get used to this._

%MCEPASTEBIN%


End file.
